Receive the latest local updates in your inbox

Joe Rosato Jr. shows us a Sunnyvale company's role in a world record breaking tour of the world by an unmanned surfboard. (Published Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2012)

Updated at 10:47 AM PDT on Thursday, Dec 6, 2012

As the small boat bobbed in six-foot waves off Bundaberg, Australia, Graham Hine caught a glimpse of the tiny surfboard-sized vessel churning through the surf.

“Just driving up to it in the boat and seeing it there in the water, really having swam nine-thousand miles was pretty amazing,” recalled Hine, the senior vice president of operations for Sunnyvale-based Liquid Robotics.

PHOTOS: Dogs Surfing (Yes, Dogs Surf!)

The arrival in late November of the company’s wave propelled glider, nicknamed Papa Mau, marked the end of a year-long, 9,000 mile trek across the Pacific Ocean -- a world record for distance traveled by an unmanned vessel.

Papa Mau set-out from the St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco November, 2011 along with three other of the company's wave gliders.

Surf's Up

Two headed for Japan, while the other pair aimed for Hawaii on their way to their final destination of Australia. Papa Mau got to Australia first, having endured brutal storms, ripping currents and even a shark attack.

“There was a tooth embedded in the rubber,” said Hine, who had scientists review the item. “Sure enough it’s a shark tooth.” But ever the trooper, the robot continued to transmit back scientific data from its solar powered sensors, giving scientists rare access to a long swath of the Pacific Ocean.

“We were able to collect temperature information, water chemistry information, current information, weather information” said James Gosling, Liquid Robotics’ chief software engineer.

The waves catch the fins to propel the vessel forward, indefinitely. The rudder is controlled by team members back in Sunnyvale who follow the vessels' progress on large digital maps – helping steer clear of passing ships.

The wave gliders' true role is as scientific observers, venturing to places where actual scientists would have trouble reaching. Their solar-powered sensors and cameras have been used to search for oil, monitor weather and collect data on climate change.

“The exciting part is not making it to Australia but the journey in between,” said Gosling. “Because the journey is where the data is. The data is out in the ocean.”

But the successful trek to Australia represents a victory for the company, and its aim of demonstrating the devices' durability.

Hine said the company may now use the wave gliders to explore Antarctica and points beyond.

“To go across the ocean now,” said Hines, “no one can tell me this technology does not have legs.”